"Widening Circles" with Uncovering Common Ground Youth Project

Back row (L-R): CFR Circle Coordinator, Paula Messina; Uncovering Common Ground Cohort Coordinator, Lizeth Ardila; Uncovering Common Ground Youth participants: Kaley Wainwright,  Ally Klassen, Silas Koulack. Front row (L-R) Marden Klepka, Luisa F Isidro-Herrera
The UCG Youth participants developed their own logo that they used in several posters they made asking for volunteers for their Online Workshops

"Widening Circles"

By: Rick Demas & Paula Messina

In partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), CFR East team members guided a group of youth participating in JGI’s Uncovering Common Ground project. During this year-long project, the team learned to successfully navigate around the challenges posed by the pandemic, to deliver a impactful project.

The UCG Youth began their experience by participating in our 10 Week Zoom circle. In the meantime, they also worked collaboratively to plan and host several online events for youth which consisted of: two Swampy Cree Language

workshops facilitated by Cameron Adams, a Beading workshop led by Holli Sayer, and a Storytelling event led by CFR Advisory Committee Member, Ramsey Kicknosway.

After handing out gift baskets to various Indigenous community organizations in Winnipeg, the Final Celebration event took place with CFR East Advisory Committee member and Elder Wendy Philips opening and closing the event.

On May 25-27, the Final Forum of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada’s Uncovering Common Ground (UCG) project was held in our nation’s capital, welcoming all the youth and members of the local organisations like CFR that participated in UCG projects from across the country. Through this project and partnership, CFR gained new insights in regard to learning from and engaging more youth with our initiatives.

On the far left, is Ally Klassen, UCG Youth participant; Ramsey Kicknosway, CFR Advisory Committee (ON); Circles for Reconciliation  Indigenous Ambassador, Grace Schedler, and on the far right is Silas Koulack, UCG Youth participant.

Final Forum of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada's Uncovering Common Ground (UCG) project

By: Ty Styner (He/Him/Il)
Project Coordinator, Uncovering Common Ground
Jane Goodall Institute of Canada

On the weekend of March 25-27, 2022, representatives from CFR joined other community leaders and youth volunteers from across the country to gather for the Final Forum of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada’s Uncovering Common Ground (UCG) project, funded by the Government of Canada under the Canada Service Corps.

With the support of the UCG program, which brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth together with local partners to develop shared understandings of reconciliation and decolonization while working for the well-being of animals, people, and the environment, CFR has led a series of meaningful workshops in Manitoba over the last several years that have brought people together to create meaningful connections and important dialogues across cultures.

The Final Forum was an opportunity for CFR representatives to share their stories, successes, and lessons learned while creating further connections with other community leaders and youth volunteers from across the country.

Grace Schedler, CFR's Indigenous Ambassador; Ramey Kicknosway, CFR Advisory Committee Member (ON) and CFR Circle Coordinator, Paula Messina.

For more information on the work and activities of the Jane Goodall Institute in Canada, please click on this link.

For more information on the Uncovering Common Ground initiative, please click on this link.

For more information on the Canada Service Corp, please click on this link.